Underlight Discord Chat: http://discord.underlight.com/
Production Server: Online (Version 3.2.0)
Player Test Realm Server: Offline (Version 3.2.0)

The Golden Knight and Tristan Armand

Post Reply
Heaven Alexis
Dreamer
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2022 11:33 pm
Character Name(s): Heaven Alexis and Angele

The Golden Knight and Tristan Armand

Post by Heaven Alexis »

Outside the protection of the City gates is darkness. Most of us call it a void, and at some point in that void, there rises a wall of infinite chaos, ready to claim any that come to close. Our house the Beacon of the Eclipsed was established just for these men and women. We were dedicated to understanding the effects of the void and chaotic energies placed upon dreamers that managed to blindly find their way through the dark mists of the void into the Lost Sea.

We were there to protect the City from them and them from the City. Many that would come ashore were still feeling the affects of the chaos’ touch, leaving them severely disfigured while others the disfigurement was within their minds rather than physical appearance. Horrible illnesses were a tell tale sign of those whom had ventured too far within the void and come into contact with the raw energies of the chaos.

We had trained specialists within our House to assist with the physical, as well as the mental, states of which these dreamers would arrive at our doorsteps. Our belief was that we could overcome the energies of the chaos and save our brothers and sisters. We could wipe away the taint and after a bit of time re-adjusting these lost souls could once again be a productive part of the City. Of course, not everyone agreed with us, nor did we think we could save every single lost soul. We just couldn’t see turning our backs on everyone when some of them we KNEW could be saved.

Those that didn’t agree with our beliefs were slowly beginning to shut us out of the City, and even I have to admit, perhaps they had been right to do so. We had had a few bad turns in the recent months where dreamers we were sure had been rehabilitated turned suddenly upon those within the main City. Attacking them and ravaging the City, leaving it in devastation. Finally, the chaos won out and they were transformed into the dark beasts that plagued the landscape. No coherence left within them of ever being more than the mindless beast they were now.

Our ruling body was at a loss as what to do. We still had so many within our care at various stages. We knew we could still help so many of the lost as long as we continued our efforts. Things were building against us quickly, though. The main City dreamers wanted us to stop. Siting the recent set backs as reason for it being deemed too dangerous. They even began to cut our livelihood to the main City. Blocking energies from reaching us, building cell like walls to keep from the passage from our home to the City and vice versa.

In all reality, we too had noticed changes within the energies we were bringing in. They were stronger and more volatile, but us die hards could not let go of what we felt was our duty to these lost souls or to the future of the City. We had begun to research alternate forms of energy to run our stronghold on, but we were no where near implementing it when we were forced to do so. Luckily, it did hold steady for some time and we were able to finish our rescue of several more dreamers that we smuggled into the City under pretense of them being originally from our City based families. We sent as many away as we could before they cut us off completely from the main City.

Little did we know that the last vessel we set out to save was one too many. When the boat was pulled into dock the normal signs were there, but this time, there was more to it. It was not uncommon for the vessels to have some scrapes and dings upon them from the travel so close to the chaos and bumping around in the darkness of the void. This vessel, however, it had huge holes within the hull that were being plugged with the decaying limbs of lost souls. Within the boat itself were several figures. A few moaned incoherently as they stared off into nothing. A couple of others, laid curled in upon themselves as though they had been beaten down repeatedly and made to feel like nothing more than abused animals.

One figure stood out among the rest, however, the flesh looked as though it had been cooked to the point of just clinging to the bones of which it once covered. All encased within a suit of pure golden armor, not a single mark upon it showing any sign of struggle or tarnishment ever befell it. Beneath the helm were sunken eye sockets void of any signs of life. Within the skeletal hands of this figure lay a broken sword and what appeared to be long dark leashes made from some kind of shadowy material. They rippled down and outward toward the other passengers, as though they had been his slaves. Only they had survived where he had not.

Without the proper energy to run our stronghold and hospitals, it was hard to tell what we were dealing with. So, Tristan was sent for. He had been the longest running Guardian in our history and was well versed in determining what was safe to be brought on to our lands and what should be pushed back out towards the void and destroyed. He inspected the vessel with great interest; finally determining that it was safe to bring those whom had survived upon our shores, but the rest should be sent back out and destroyed for safety sake.

Tristan helped to get the survivors free from the shadowy leashes. The material just seemed to fall apart within his grasp as he tugged to remove it from individuals it was still linked to. As they were about to send the remainder of the vessel and its contents back out, Tristan grabbed the broken sword to bring ashore. He claimed it may have been charged with some of this odd new energy and it would help in our research upon it once we managed to get our lands back up and running. As he did so, a force reached out and wrapped itself around his wrist. Tristan looked down in astonishment to find one of the shadowy leashes attaching itself to him. He quickly yanked himself free and jumped to shore kicking the vessel away as he did so, thinking the leash had just been residual energy. He did not notice the one fine tendril of the leash that splintered off and embedded itself deep under his skin.

The next few days brought some distance to the events of that night. Most of us were still trying to find ways to energize our portion of the City so that we could carry on our efforts. Others worked with the last of the souls we had brought to our shores. Tristan, he focused upon the sword he had brought ashore that night. In fact, it became a driving force for him. He was convinced there was more to it than we could possibly know and that it may be the key to saving our lands. Night and day he as up and trying to understand the energy within the sword. He never really found any answers, however. He just knew it held great power of some sort, and to be able to understand it completely he was going to have to forge the sword anew.

He chose the night of the Eclipse to reforge the sword as most would be out of town at celebrations, or safely tucked away in bed. This would limit the chances of something going wrong and causing any harm to any. He worked until the wee hours of the morning eventually rejoining the two pieces of the sword together once more. He could feel immediately the energy vibrating with in the sword the moment it was whole, but still had no clue as to what he had just done. Within minutes he could hear screams coming from the docks. With the sword in hand, he ran as fast as he could to see what was going on.

There was a crowd of onlookers gathered at the pier. Some of them had their hands over their mouths and just shaking their heads in disbelief. Others had been screaming in horror. When Tristan finally maneuvered his way through the crowd, he stopped dead in his tracks. There before him in the water was the very same vessel they had destroyed just days previous with the same golden knight within its cargo, only now below the helm small glowing red orbs could be seen peering out.

Tristan ordered everyone to run just as the knight began to climb to its feet and reach out toward Tristan. Tristan turned to run and was brought down by a shadowy leash that had attached itself to his wrist. The Golden Knight took back his sword and raised it high into the sky gathering dark clouds above the sea side stronghold. Tristan managed to pull free from the leash and took off running to help get as many to safety as he could. The Golden Knight climbed onto the pier and a low rumbling of laughter could be heard across the land as he made his way towards the Stronghold.

In the middle of the steps leading into the Stronghold the Golden Knight turned and faced the lands he had just traveled to arrive at his location and brought the mighty sword crashing down into the steps, causing lightning to reign out into the region. Starting fires and crumbled structures in the wake of its release of such a great force of energy. Tristan and the dreamers of the BoE found it impossible to remain standing up and crumpled to the ground before being able to take off running once more. Another loud thunderous clap from the sword upon the ground forced some to wake and others to remain crouched in fear.

Tristan was the only one to stand and face the Golden Knight, it was an attempt to give others a chance to escape. The Golden Knight’s laughter only grew more and expanded out into the regions of the City that were closest to BoE. The citizens ran to the boarders watching in horror as the final events played out before their eyes. The Golden Knight laid his firey gaze upon Tristan and marched out to meet him. As Tristan stood tall ready to face the knight toe to toe, the once forgotten thread of the leash returned and wrapped itself around Tristan’s wrist then leaped and attached itself to his other wrist, tightening until it had bound his hands against his own will. Tristan fought all he could but was not able to break the restraints and as the Golden Knight bared down upon him a chorus of screams could be heard encircling the city, growing louder with every step the Golden Knight took towards Tristan. Finally, the knight was toe to toe with Tristan, but even in his predicament, Tristan stood tall against him, almost daring the Golden Knight. The Golden Knight raised one skeletal hand.

With a single fingertip, the knight touched the center of Tristan’s forehead rendering him helpless. Tristan immediately fell to the ground his mouth open in a silent scream as his body started to show signs of abuse. The shadowy cuffs lashed out and attached themselves to a ring at the waist of the Golden Knight. He then climbed back into his vessel and drug Tristan with him. As he set back off into the darkness, he simply looked back over his shoulder and declared “Mine!”, then laughed endlessly until the vessel was out of site.
~Heaven Alexis~
Madam of OoSM
Dreamseer Teacher
Post Reply